Do Sheltie tails go up???

W

Wagonracer

Forums Regular
I am wondering how many of you have Sheltie's that primarily have their tails up? Japser only has his tail up when he goes to the bathroom... Even when he is excited about something he wags his tail down low or parallel to the ground, never up... Is this normal as I have heard that tail up means they are happy... Thanks...
 
AKC Standard
The tail should be sufficiently long so that when it is laid along the back edge of the hind legs the last vertebra will reach the hock joint. Carriage of tail at rest is straight down or in a slight upward curve. When the dog is alert the tail is normally lifted, but it should not be curved forward over the back. Faults-- Too short. Twisted at end.

Mine their tails are always down flat except when they see a squirrell than its straight out!! LOL
 
That's actually correct, the way your dog is carrying his tail. A sheltie that puts its tail up over its back is incorrect. It's called a gay tail, and is undesired, as per the AKC standard.
 
Yes..its called a "gay" tail if it goes up over the back...my Clancy will do this at times when he is "alerting" or feels the need to look big..LOL Sometimes if I see his tail up..I tell him "Whats the tail doing?, put it down"...sometimes he will look kinda embarassed and put it down..LOL
Abbys is always almost straight down..it never goes up more then straight out...she attempts to be a lady ..LOL

woofs

Julie
Clancy & Abby
 
:lol::lol: Thanks for the illustration Max!

My two usually have their tails down, except when excited then they will go up midway.
 
We wondered the same thing when we first got Smoke, because his tail is almost never above parallel with the ground. It was a relief to learn that its normal and correct for Shelties :wink2:
 
Bacca's tail is almost always down flat against his butt, (except when he' running and its then kinda stretched out straight behind him.) I remember having to explain to the puppy school trainer that this was quite normal for him for him to tuck his tail flat....and not a sign that he was stressed out. She didn't believe me.

Indy's is somewhere in between. And now that I think of it, neither one of them really ever wags their tail like you see some breeds do!
 
for a long time, I wasn't sure that Callie had a tail- always tucked in close blending into the back end. now when we go for a walk, it's waving out there in back- pretty much horizontal. she does wag some when she's happy- need to try and get some pix too :smile2:
 
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